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Devante Smith-Pelly

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Devante Smith-Pelly
Smith-Pelly with the Washington Capitals in April 2018
Born (1992-06-14) June 14, 1992 (age 32)
Scarborough, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 223 lb (101 kg; 15 st 13 lb)
Position Right wing
Shot Right
Played for Anaheim Ducks
Montreal Canadiens
New Jersey Devils
Washington Capitals
Kunlun Red Star
NHL draft 42nd overall, 2010
Anaheim Ducks
Playing career 2011–2022

Devante Malik Smith-Pelly (born June 14, 1992) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger. He was selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the second round, 42nd overall, of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.[1] Smith-Pelly played in the style of a power forward and was known for his hitting and forechecking abilities.[2] Smith-Pelly won the Stanley Cup as a member of the Capitals in 2018.

Playing career

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Junior

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Smith-Pelly began his major junior career in 2008–09, recording 25 points over 57 games with the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). During the 2009 playoffs, he added five points over 11 games. One of his two goals ended the second-longest game in OHL history, as he scored in triple-overtime to eliminate the Barrie Colts in the conference quarterfinals.[3] The following season, he improved to 62 points over 60 games. In the subsequent summer, he was selected 42nd overall by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

Smith-Pelly in February 2012. The 2011–12 season was his rookie season in the NHL

Returning to the OHL for a third season following his draft, Smith-Pelly recorded a junior career-high 36 goals and 66 points over 67 games. He added 21 points in 20 OHL playoff games, as the Majors lost in the Finals to the Owen Sound Attack. Despite losing the OHL title, the Majors qualified for the 2011 Memorial Cup, Canada's national major junior tournament, by way of having been chosen as the host team at the beginning of the season. Advancing to the final, the Majors were defeated by the Saint John Sea Dogs In the Memorial Cup Final, 3–1. Smith-Pelly recorded six points over five games and was named to the Tournament All-Star Team.

Professional

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Although eligible for one more OHL season in 2011–12, Smith-Pelly made the Anaheim Ducks' roster out of training camp. He recorded five points in his first 26 games before the Ducks agreed to loan him to the Canadian national junior team in December 2011.[4]

Smith-Pelly with the Devils in March 2016

During his first full season in the NHL with the Ducks in 2014–15, having produced 17 points in 54 games, on February 24, 2015, he was traded to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Jiří Sekáč.[5]

In the following 2015–16 season, Smith-Pelly got off to a strong start with the Canadiens as they had a franchise-best 9 straight wins to start the year. However, with only 6 goals through 46 games, he was dealt by the Canadiens to the New Jersey Devils, just a little over a year from when he was acquired on February 29, 2016, in exchange for Stefan Matteau.[6] During the offseason, on July 1, 2016, Smith-Pelly signed a two-year, $2.6 million contract extension with the Devils.[7]

After Smith-Pelly regressed in the 2016–17 season, he was placed on waivers by the Devils in order to buy out the remaining year and $1.3 million left on his contract on June 30, 2017.[8]

On July 3, 2017, he was signed to a one-year, two-way contract with the Washington Capitals with a $650,000 salary.[9][10] On February 17, 2018, Smith-Pelly was the target of a racist chant by four fans at the United Center during a game against the Chicago Blackhawks.[11] The four fans, who were chanting the word "basketball" repeatedly, were escorted out of the United Center and issued a lifetime ban from the arena by the Blackhawks organization.[11] Both the NHL and Blackhawks condemned the action of the four fans and apologized to Smith-Pelly.[11] Smith-Pelly scored seven goals in the 2018 playoffs, including the tying goal in the clinching game five of the Stanley Cup Finals on Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Marc-André Fleury to eventually help the Capitals secure their first NHL title in team history.[12] Smith-Pelly became the second player in NHL history, behind Patrice Bergeron-Cleary to have a hyphenated surname engraved on the Stanley Cup.

During the 2018–19 season, Smith-Pelly continued with the Capitals in a fourth-line role. Through inconsistent play and contributing with 8 points in 54 games, on February 20, 2019, Smith-Pelly was placed on waivers by the Washington Capitals before successfully clearing the following day.[13] He was then assigned to affiliate, the Hershey Bears, returning to the AHL for the first time since 2014. Smith-Pelly returned to the Washington Capitals during the first-round series in the 2019 playoffs after T. J. Oshie was injured in Game 4 versus the Carolina Hurricanes.[14]

Leaving the Capitals as a free agent, Smith-Pelly, with limited NHL interest, opted to sign abroad for the first time in his career, agreeing to a one-year contract with Chinese-based club, HC Kunlun Red Star of the Kontinental Hockey League on October 25, 2019.[15] In the 2019–20 season, Smith-Pelly in a checking-line role added 8 goals, 3 assists and 11 points through 36 regular season games.

In the pandemic-delayed 2020–21 season, Smith-Pelly belatedly returned to the North American professional circuit after accepting a professional tryout contract with the Ontario Reign of the AHL, primary affiliate to the Los Angeles Kings on March 13, 2021.[16] While playing with the Reign, Smith-Pelly played on a line with Quinton Byfield and Akil Thomas, forming the first all-Black line in the history of the team.[17]

On December 30, 2022, Smith-Pelly announced his retirement from professional hockey.

International play

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Smith-Pelly as a member of Team Canada at the 2012 World Junior Championships
Medal record
Representing Canada Canada
Ice hockey
World Junior Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2012 Canada
World U-17 Hockey Challenge
Gold medal – first place 2009 Canada

Smith-Pelly debuted with Hockey Canada at the 2009 World U-17 Hockey Challenge. He recorded three assists over six games playing with Team Ontario, helping them to a gold medal win.

During his NHL rookie season, the Anaheim Ducks loaned Smith-Pelly to the Canadian junior team for the 2012 World Junior Championships. One of two players to be loaned from the NHL (Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brett Connolly was the other),[4] he was named an alternate captain for the team.[18] In Canada's first game of the tournament, against Finland, he broke a bone in his left foot blocking a shot. Opting to stay with the team rather than return to Anaheim to begin his rehabilitation,[19] Smith-Pelly watched as Canada went on to win the bronze medal and since he was part of the Canadian roster, he also received a medal.

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2008–09 Mississauga St. Michael's Majors OHL 57 13 12 25 24 11 2 3 5 4
2009–10 Mississauga St. Michael's Majors OHL 60 29 33 62 35 16 8 6 14 20
2010–11 Mississauga St. Michael's Majors OHL 67 36 30 66 50 20 15 6 21 16
2011–12 Anaheim Ducks NHL 49 7 6 13 16 — — — — —
2011–12 Syracuse Crunch AHL 4 0 1 1 2 — — — — —
2012–13 Norfolk Admirals AHL 65 14 18 32 65 — — — — —
2012–13 Anaheim Ducks NHL 7 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2013–14 Norfolk Admirals AHL 55 27 16 43 29 — — — — —
2013–14 Anaheim Ducks NHL 19 2 8 10 2 12 5 0 5 24
2014–15 Anaheim Ducks NHL 54 5 12 17 12 — — — — —
2014–15 Montreal Canadiens NHL 20 1 2 3 14 12 1 2 3 2
2015–16 Montreal Canadiens NHL 46 6 6 12 22 — — — — —
2015–16 New Jersey Devils NHL 18 8 5 13 8 — — — — —
2016–17 New Jersey Devils NHL 53 4 5 9 12 — — — — —
2017–18 Washington Capitals NHL 75 7 9 16 38 24 7 1 8 12
2018–19 Washington Capitals NHL 54 4 4 8 15 3 0 0 0 0
2018–19 Hershey Bears AHL 20 6 8 14 2 — — — — —
2019–20 Kunlun Red Star KHL 36 8 3 11 40 — — — — —
2020–21 Ontario Reign AHL 14 0 1 1 4 — — — — —
2021–22 Laval Rocket AHL 24 4 4 8 6 7 0 0 0 4
NHL totals 395 44 57 101 137 51 13 3 16 38

International

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Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2009 Canada Ontario U17 1st place, gold medalist(s) 6 0 3 3 4
2012 Canada WJC 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 1 0 0 0 0
Junior totals 7 0 3 3 4

Awards and honours

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Award Year
OHL
All-Star Game 2010
CHL Top Prospects Game 2010
CHL Memorial Cup All-Star Team 2011 [20]
NHL
Stanley Cup champion 2018 [21]

References

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  1. ^ "Ducks Draft Smith-Pelly 42nd Overall". Anaheim Ducks. 2010-06-27. Archived from the original on 2022-05-30. Retrieved 2010-06-28.
  2. ^ Francis, Eric (2011-12-20). "Diggin Devante". Toronto Sun. Archived from the original on 2014-04-28. Retrieved 2012-01-05.
  3. ^ "Smith-Pelly scores to end 2nd-longest game in OHL history as Majors boot Colts". National Hockey League. 2009-03-29. Archived from the original on 2013-10-29. Retrieved 2012-01-05.
  4. ^ a b "Connolly, Smith-Pelly granted leave to play in world juniors". Postmedia News. 2011-12-09. Retrieved 2012-01-05.[permanent dead link‍]
  5. ^ "Habs acquire Smith-Pelly from Ducks". The Sports Network. 2015-02-24. Archived from the original on 2015-02-25. Retrieved 2015-02-24.
  6. ^ "Devils acquire Smith-Pelly from Montreal". New Jersey Devils. 2016-02-29. Archived from the original on 2016-03-02. Retrieved 2016-02-29.
  7. ^ "New Jersey Devils re-sign Devante Smith-Pelly for two years". allaboutthejersey.com. 2016-07-01. Archived from the original on 2016-07-02. Retrieved 2016-07-01.
  8. ^ "Devils buy-out Cammelleri, Smith-Pelly". NJ.com. 2017-06-30. Archived from the original on 2017-07-04. Retrieved 2017-06-30.
  9. ^ "Devante Smith-Pelly se joint aux Capitals" (in French). RDS (Réseau des sports). 2017-07-03. Archived from the original on 2017-07-06. Retrieved 2017-07-03.
  10. ^ "Capitals sign Devante Smith-Pelly". Washington Capitals. 2017-07-03. Archived from the original on 2017-07-13. Retrieved 2017-07-03.
  11. ^ a b c "Devante Smith-Pelly calls racial taunts 'disgusting'". ESPN. 2018-02-19. Archived from the original on 2018-02-19. Retrieved 2018-02-20.
  12. ^ "Capitals win Stanley Cup, Washington's first major sports championship since 1992". The Washington Post. June 7, 2018. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 7, 2018.
  13. ^ "Caps' Smith-Pelly on waivers; SJS claim Haley". TSN. February 20, 2019. Archived from the original on February 21, 2019. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
  14. ^ "Capitals' Devante Smith-Pelly: Called up ahead of Game 5". CBSSports.com. 19 April 2019. Archived from the original on 2019-04-19. Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  15. ^ Oland, Ian (2019-10-25). "Devante Smith-Pelly will continue his career in the KHL". russianmachineneverbreaks.com. Archived from the original on 2019-10-27. Retrieved 2019-10-25.
  16. ^ "Reign add Stanley Cup winner Smith-Pelly on tryout". American Hockey League. March 1, 2021. Archived from the original on March 14, 2021. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  17. ^ "Kings prospect follows father's path, skates on all-Black line". NHL.com. Archived from the original on 2021-04-21. Retrieved 2022-05-30.
  18. ^ "Devante Smith-Pelly shines for Team Canada". Calgary Herald. 2011-12-23. Archived from the original on 2012-01-20. Retrieved 2012-01-05.
  19. ^ "Smith-Pelly plays cheerleader for Canada". National Post. Archived from the original on 2012-07-17. Retrieved 2012-01-05.
  20. ^ "Memorial Cup All-Star Teams". eliteprospects.com. 2014-02-03. Archived from the original on 2014-02-09. Retrieved 2014-02-03.
  21. ^ "The Washington Capitals, after years of frustration, win the Stanley Cup". The New York Times. 2018-06-07. Archived from the original on 2018-06-08. Retrieved 2018-06-07.
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